Kota Kinabalu: A two-year project to study and protect marine turtles in Semporna has been launched through a Memorandum of Understanding signed on March 18 between the Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD), World Wide Fund for Nature Malaysia (WWF) and Mataking Reef Resort.
SWD Director Mohd Soffian Bakar, WWF Malaysia Senior Director for Partnerships Tay Mooi Geok, and Mataking Reef Resort Managing Director Sophia Sie signed the agreement.
The two-year project, titled “DNA and Satellite Tracking for Marine Turtle Conservation in Semporna, Sabah,” runs from March 18, 2026 to March 17, 2028, and is based on Mataking Island.
It focuses on hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata), a critically endangered species.
Researchers will collect biological samples for genetic analysis and use satellite tracking devices to monitor their movements.
Mataking Reef Resort currently operates two turtle hatcheries at Mataking Besar and Mataking Kecil in collaboration with SWD and WWF, supporting ongoing conservation efforts through science-based research.
As such, its marine turtle population is effectively conserved through science-based understanding of their population, and connectivity, leading to improved protection.
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